An image plays a vital role in an e-commerce business. The sellers have to showcase the products properly to experience high-quality pictures with different views and angles. Because customers have to make decisions depending on the images, whether they buy it or not, they need to get a good idea of an image to imagine themself how they will look by wearing a dress.
Nowadays, most apparel and fashion businesses are using e-commerce platforms to sell their products. Correctly displaying the products on e-commerce sites is very important because it determines whether the customers choose it or don’t. That is why most e-commerce sites rely on models to showcase their products; similarly, using Ghost Mannequin is also a way to showcase them.
But some issues come in front of the owners.
Firstly, the cost is a big issue—hiring models, studios, photographers, designers, directors, etc., which need a huge production cost.
Secondly, all dresses may not be suitable for the same model. In that case, they have to hire another one. For male dresses, they need male, and for female attire, they need female models.
Thirdly, the whole process is so time-consuming.
If you understand those issues, then definitely you can try Ghost Mannequin. Ghost Mannequin is a good way to display apparel images online.
What is Ghost Mannequin/Invisible mannequin/3D mannequin/Hollow man?
Ghost Mannequin is a powerful post-production photo editing service to display clothes or apparel products on an e-commerce website. It solves the problems of showcasing a product on a website or e-commerce site. If we go to the market to buy a dress, the first thing that grabs our attention is a well-displayed dress. In front of the stores, we can see a well-dressed dummy.
And we decide whether we continue visiting the store or skip it. But if you notice, in an e-commerce site, the mannequin may not look attractive wearing a dress. The reason behind this, it distracts one’s attention from the ultimate dress. If you haven’t seen it yet, then please try.
I hope you have already noticed the differences.
So, Ghost Mannequin is the process where the dummy will be removed and gives the product a 3D and hollow outlook. It will seem that someone is wearing a dress. It will also help by detailing products’ fabrics, size, colors, fits, etc., to choose the customers’ right dresses.
Ghost Mannequin is useful for Apparel products like T-shirts, jackets, blazers, shoes, shirts, jeans, womenswear, babywear, etc.
The Ghost Mannequin process can reduce your product display cost on your site by 60%. You do not go after models, hire large studios, directors, and so on; you need a photographer, clothes, dummy doll fashion equipment, and a Ghost Mannequin designer to have a complete solution for showcasing your products on your site.
Tools or assets needed for photoshoot
Photographer:
You need a photographer who has to take photos of the dummy doll wearing clothes and sometimes they have to shoot pictures of the clothes only.
Clothes:
You need the dresses which you want to showcase on your website. The models or dummy dolls should be wearing clothes.
Dummy doll/ Model:
A Dummy doll or mannequin is needed when you do not have the models or when your budget is less. Model hiring is expensive. So nowadays, dummy dolls are an excellent option for photoshoots.
Studio/In-house setup:
You have to hire a studio for a photo shoot, or if you have an in-house studio setup, it’s also okay. No problem if you do not have any of them because there have another technology called Background Removal.
Fashion equipment:
If you want to decorate the dummy with fashion equipment, you need kits. Sometimes clips, tape, tissue, etc., are used for hanging or tightening clothes.
How the process works
First of all, the dummy doll should be wearing a dress. Then the photographer has to take two or more photos of the products from different angles, and then the designer combines the product photos and removes the model presence, mannequin, or dummy doll.
Importance or advantage of Ghost Mannequin
Cost:
If you do not have the budget or do not want to hire models, you can go for Ghost mannequin. Because by using Ghost Mannequin, you will get a consistent look at the website.
Distracted by the model:
Sometimes, using models for a photoshoot can negatively affect your products. Customers can be distracted by the models or background. So to showcase only your products to your customers, you can use Ghost Mannequin.
Help them for visualization:
Online customers can visualize themselves wearing the product and how they will look. So, allow them to imagine how they will look after wearing the dress.
Get the output like a person wearing a dress:
Ghost mannequin gives you the same outcome when someone wears the clothing. By minimizing the cost, you can get the output by not hiring a model and using Ghost Mannequin.
Fewer time needs:
Ghost Mannequin takes less time than a model photoshoot. If you hire a model for this work, you also have to hire a director and make-up artist. Models have to give different poses for different photos, and you should consider their dress changing time, and even you have to consider their make-up time.
To avoid extra post-production works:
If you use models, then there have some additional works like- photo retouching, color correction, etc. The photo of that model also should be retouched. So to avoid those extra payable works, you can use Ghost Mannequin only for your product.
Using other marketplaces:
If you want to sell your product in a marketplace like Amazon, you cannot share a product photo with a model. So here, Ghost Mannequin will help you.
Disadvantages of using the dummy
Campaign:
For any campaign, you have to use models. But sometimes, if you want to show different kinds of products, Ghost Mannequin may help you. But for big projects and campaigns, it is preferable to use models.
Promoting your brand identity:
When it is time to promote your brand identity and exclusive, you may need to hire models to promote your brand’s style and individuality.
Brand strategy:
Ghost mannequin may not promote your branding strategy.
Advantages of using models
Values:
A model can show and represent the values of your brand. It seems to the customers for your brand much more valuable than others.
Describable:
A model can describe your product in a relatable way.
Features:
Viewers can deeply observe the product’s characteristics when you use a model; therefore, the clothes look great.
Disadvantages of using a model
Distract attention:
Sometimes, customers or buyers might be distracted from the ultimate product for the model.
Costly:
Model hiring is expensive. Professional models charge a cost per shoot basis, per hour basis, or per-day basis. In the Ghost Mannequin process, you do not have to count that much cost.
Looks:
All models do not look good in every dress, so you might have to hire more than one model and also you have to hire women and men models for gradually women’s wear and men’s wears.
Fan’s conflict:
Maybe you are hiring one most popular models, but some people may dislike the model, which will affect your business.
Not allowed to share model photos in another marketplace:
The product photos with models cannot upload to some marketplaces. So if you want to share your product photos there, you don’t get permission.
Conclusion
In conclusion, an Apparel and Fashion e-commerce business owner needs to present the product photos adequately. Good image quality can improve your sales by 65%. And if your business is related to apparel, it is also essential to give your customers a chance to imagine themselves wearing the dress. When they can get an accurate description and feel of the image, you are successful. To do that, you have to choose whether you use Models or Ghost mannequins. If someone uses Ghost Mannequin for their products, he/she can quickly get the investment back because the cost is low. On the other hand, if someone invests in models, sometimes he/she will not get the return as early as Ghost mannequin. The article has already described all the things, and now it’s your decision.
